This post is our final interview with Graduate School staff; thanks for reading along this semester! We hope that through these interviews, you’ve gotten a better sense of who is working on your behalf at the Graduate School and where to go with your questions! For our final chat, we met with Alanna Martinez. Alanna joined the Graduate School in June 2014 and previously worked in the Professional Development area. As an Administrative Associate, Alanna’s responsibilities include managing the front desk office, answering inquires regarding the graduate admissions process, welcoming visitors, and assisting with website development. Thanks for talking with us Alanna!
BearTracks
Okay, Alanna Martinez! Tell me about you as a person and also about your role in the Grad School.
Alanna Martinez
I should have prepared for this!
BT
That’s okay! No, this is raw. This is organic. Haha.
AM
Ha, okay. First, as a person, I am a mom. I have four kids. And they’re relatively close in age, but twins were part of that story. So they’re fun, and they keep me very busy. And I’ve got two big girls. It’s flying by, but I absolutely love it. I’d love to re-answer this question when they’re grown and I have the what-we’re-going-to-do-with-myself-next question figured out. What was the second question?
BT
Sure. Tell me what your official title is here at the Grad School, and give a little snapshot into what that means.
AM
So, I’m the Administrative Associate on the Admissions Team. I manage the front desk reception area, along with some amazing graduate students who assist in the processing. We handle the front-facing office communication with our applicants, and then just general inquiries and things that come into the office.
BT
That has been a revelation while I’ve been doing these interviews. I think grad students get so caught up in the grad school life on campus that we forget that the grad school also serves all of the prospective grad students, too. This was a huge facet of your work here that I kind of forgot about, because it’s been a while since I was a prospective graduate.
So what does like a day in the life look like? What is your day full of in this job?
AM
There’s a lot of emails and phone calls. And that may be too basic and answer, but there’s some detective work.
BT
Sounds exciting.
AM
And there’s concierge service that we do at this desk. It requires having a good sense of humor and a lot of patience – diligence to see all of these matters through, because we generally are able to get to everybody in one day. We’re very efficient, but of course it ebbs and flows with the pace of the season of admission.
BT
Sure. I imagine that December and January around the deadlines are a little crazy.
AM
Yes.
BT
Now, if I’m not mistaken, you’ve occupied a few different roles here in the Graduate School over the years?
AM
Just one other.
BT
Okay. So how, what was that position, and how did you make the transition over to this position?
AM
So the professional development area was where I came from, okay, I’m the old Laura Sepanski. There was a rite of passage; the girl that I replaced, you know, I got called the new Rachel, and then we started saying that with the older lineup, so I’m also the old Laura.
BT
We’re always in someone else’s shoes!
AM
It took a little while for me to fill those shoes, but the transition was just a huge benefit for my family because this job has some flexibility for my kids.
BT
What is your favorite thing about your job?
AM
I think my favorite thing is the folks that come into the office. I like to see people coming and going, and there are lots of familiar faces. I do enjoy that.
BT
What is something you wish more graduate students knew about the Graduate School?
AM
Well, let’s plug professional development.
BT
Great. Let’s do it.
AM
I think that those programs are so interesting and well thought out. Students are being given access to cutting edge resources. They should check them out!
BT
Hear, hear! We had our last one of the semester a few weeks ago now, but there will be more to come again in the Fall.
Okay, how about a fun question: what is your favorite Baylor event?
AM
Well, let’s keep with the theme of my life, my kids: I think the Mayborn Museum is too cool, and the rotating exhibits they bring through are just incredible. Did you know there’s a Scooby Doo Mystery exhibit coming?
BT
I did not know this. Oh my gosh, there’s something there for everybody.
AM
And they keep it fresh. There’s been some really cool things over the years. totally.
BT
I love the mini H-E-B market and town play space; my godson loves it there.
AM
Yeah, that whole setup is adorable and hilarious.
BT
Shifting gears a bit: with the experience you’ve had working at the grad school over the years, is there any recurring pitfall you see graduate students make that you you wish you could kind of put on a billboard so everyone knows to stop making that mistake?
AM
I would say the biggest mistake is not becoming involved in the GSA. We see our best and brightest students going on with their careers, and everything seems to take flight when they they are the ones who are supporting others. Great ideas come from working with the administrative people in the Graduate School. It shows people that the folks here are really walking the walk.
BT
I think I think that’s great. I have a friend who’s going to be on GSA exec next year, but he said his first year he thought he was the first student to ever think about all the things that needed to be improved and changed and brought to people’s attention. But the second year he came to the first GSA meeting and realized, “I’m not as original as I thought. Everyone else has noticed the same things. And if I had actually showed up to these sorts of events, I would have learned that people are aware of these things, and they’re working really hard to make them better.” None of us are the first person who’s realized that things can get better.
AM
And the people here are receptive to that.
BT
Absolutely. The folks here are very open to improvements.
Alright, Tell me a fun fact about yourself.
AM
I always use this, but I was born at 4:29pm on 4/29; April 29.
BT
That’s a fun little coincidence! Very cool.
Is there any advice you’d give to graduate students?
AM
It seems to follow some of the answers I’ve already given, but participate in the Three Minute Thesis competition and take advantage of Travel Awards. Use our Graduate Writing Center; it has benefited all the people that I’ve seen come through.
Grad School is a difficult journey, but you don’t have to sit in the struggle. There are resources to grease the wheels a little bit.
BT
Okay, final question. Who’s your favorite staff member? Becca Cassady chose you, but there’s no obligation to return the favor.
AM
I actually love everyone here, as I’m sure you’ve been told. But there is a special place for some people. I do love Dean Lyon’s dry sarcastic sense of humor. He is so funny, so quick witted, that there have been times I’ve been crying at my computer from laughing out loud at something from one of his emails.
BT
I love it so much. Fantastic. Thank you.